Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

तस्य सीदति तद्राष्ट्रं दुर्भिक्षव्याधितस्करैः । संभूय स्थापयिष्यामो लिंगमेकं ततः शुभम्

Transliteration

tasya sīdati tadrāṣṭraṃ durbhikṣavyādhitaskaraiḥ | saṃbhūya sthāpayiṣyāmo liṃgamekaṃ tataḥ śubham

Translation

“แว่นแคว้นนั้นย่อมเสื่อมถอย ถูกเบียดเบียนด้วยทุพภิกขภัย โรคภัย และโจรผู้ร้าย ดังนั้นพวกเราจึงจักประชุมพร้อมกัน แล้วสถาปนาลึงค์อันเป็นมงคลเพียงหนึ่งองค์”

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/that (person)
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (gen. sg.)

• सीदति: sinks/declines; suffers
• सीदति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तद्राष्ट्रम्: that kingdom
• तद्राष्ट्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् + राष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: तत् राष्ट्रम् (neut. nom. sg. as subject)

• दुर्भिक्षव्याधितस्करैः: by famine, disease, and thieves
• दुर्भिक्षव्याधितस्करैः: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्भिक्ष + व्याधि + तस्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (instr. pl.)

• संभूय: having assembled together
• संभूय: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): सम्-भूय = 'having come together'

• स्थापयिष्यामः: we will establish/install
• स्थापयिष्यामः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + णिच् (स्थापय)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• लिङ्गम्: a liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (neut. acc. sg.)

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma (कर्म) (qualifier of लिङ्गम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण (neut. acc. sg.)

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Temporal/Sequential (काल/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त; क्रम/अनन्तर्ये (adverb: then/thereafter; from that)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Karma (कर्म) (qualifier of लिङ्गम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (neut. acc. sg.)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) narrating the resolve of the devas (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahī-taṭa / Mahīsāgara-saṅgama (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A decisive communal consecration: after warning of famine, disease, and thieves, the assembly unites to install one auspicious liṅga, with kalaśa abhiṣeka and protective rites for the realm.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Śiva (implied via liṅga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma declines, restoring Śiva-worship through liṅga-pratiṣṭhā re-establishes auspiciousness and protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces the act that will create/mark a sacred spot; the specific liṅga-name appears later as Siddheśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A communal liṅga-pratiṣṭhā (installation of a Śiva-liṅga) is prescribed as a remedy for societal calamities.